


Let's bloom at night's end

by joyfulscandal, justacoolusername



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe- High School Reunion, Angst, Established Relationship, F/F, Flashbacks, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Romance, Slow Burn, mention of drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-19 11:49:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15509259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joyfulscandal/pseuds/joyfulscandal, https://archiveofourown.org/users/justacoolusername/pseuds/justacoolusername
Summary: "But for someone like Yves, perhaps she needs the moon. Someone calm and serene. Someone patient. Someone willing to stay.  Someone whose light could still shine in the dark and guide her. Someone who is caring, and someone reliable.Someone like Chuu."Their high school reunion brings up happy memories and unresolved issues.





	1. i see or saw you (i love or loved you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "But for someone like Yves, perhaps she needs the moon. Someone calm and serene. Someone patient. Someone willing to stay. Someone whose light could still shine in the dark and guide her. Someone who is caring, and someone reliable.
> 
> Someone like Chuu." 
> 
>  
> 
> Their high school reunion brings up happy memories and unresolved issues.

_This_ was not how Haseul had seen her weekend going. Her week has been a busy one, with work and everything else going on for her. Since she graduated, she had always buried herself deep in work. Thus, she wants her weekends to be calm and tranquil as much as possible. There was too much stress in her life during weekdays, after all.

But here she was, in front of their crying _maknae_ looking very much like a frog with her face scrunched up and red. Even back then, Haseul has been the “leader” of their circle of friends and even though she wants to laugh at Yeojin, she can’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her.

“I’m trying not to cry,” Yeojin gasps.

“You’re already crying,” Haseul points out, tearing up and fanning herself.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry,” she chants internally but ends up crying as well. “Ah, we shouldn’t cry here. There are so many people.”

“This _is_ a small restaurant, unnie. That’s why it seems like there are a lot of people. We’re nine people sitting in this table right now,” Yeojin sasses back but the sarcastic look on her face leaves as soon as it arrives.

“We should have had this reunion earlier.”

“Didn’t we just go roller skating two weeks ago?” pipes up Vivi in confusion.

Go Won wipes her eyes.

“Crying is contagious, you know. I guess, it’s different because we’re all here together? It feels like coming home.”

Hyunjin pats the blonde-haired girl on the back consolingly.

“Have some bread. It’s delicious, and it will make you feel better.”

“Thank you, unnie.”

The way Hyunjin holds out a piece of bread to a bemused and still teary-eyed Go Won makes Choerry chuckle.

“Oooh, there’s asparagus,” comments Heejin to Kim Lip.

“I was craving for it earlier, and it’s here and delicious.”

“I was craving for meat. Craving satisfied now,” Kim Lip leans forward and gives everyone a conspiratorial smile that has them sitting by the edge of their seats. The girls look at her with wide eyes, curious as to what she had to say. “Do you think... Chuu can read minds as well as cook?”

Disappointed by the comment, the girls groan and turn back to their food. Yeojin throws a piece of asparagus at the amused girl.

“That is so wow,” Jinsoul gasps, obviously in awe. Kim Lip could barely suppress a laugh at her expression.

The chatter quiets down when they hear the chiming of the bell, signalling an arrival. Their eyes dart toward the two figures approaching.

Yeojin lets out a gasp.

“Wait, is that Olivia and Yves together?”

“Awww, they even went here together.”

“After all these years, they’re still so sweet.”

“Of course,” Olivia smirks as they reach the table, having heard all the whispers and comments about them, she presses a chaste kiss to Yves’ cheek. Yves swats her lightly on the arm then waves to everyone with a small smile on her face. “No way I’m letting my girl go.”

“Ahhh, you are so cheesy!” The girls squeal except for one.

Heejin sips her drink quietly, contemplative in contrast to the merry atmosphere.

No one except Olivia notices the small knowing glance Heejin gives her with a tilt of her head.

Olivia’s face becomes stony in response, grin sliding off her face.

“Hi, I’m back with more food!” Chuu chirps, wide smile face hidden by the food on the tray she carried. She expertly maneuvers her way to their table, despite the tight space.

“Um, should we help?” Yves asks, ready to stand up and help.

Chuu sets the food on the table with practiced efficiency but pauses to give Yves a soft smile.

She takes the empty seat between Olivia and Go Won, beaming.

“Now we’re all here,” Heejin begins, raising her glass. “Let’s have a toast to all the good times back in high school. May we make more good memories together!”

Twelve glasses raise up.

“Maybe, you shouldn’t have drunk, Yeojin.”

“I’m an adult.”

“But you’re still our maknae,” Haseul reminds, hugging her.

“Unnie, are you tipsy? Of course, you would be a lightweight.”

“Oooh, the blonde hair looks great on you, Go Won,” remarks Jinsoul.

“Thanks. I felt like a changed woman when I dyed my hair.”

Hyunjin has her phone out, showing a screenshot to everyone who glanced at it.

“I finally have an earring CF! Are you proud of me? I’ve wanted this my whole life, I swear.”

While the others share the events happening in their lives, Choerry smiles fondly at Olivia placing food at Yves’ plate, doting on her every minute.

“It’s so cute how you two are still dating. I wish I had a love like that,” she sighs.

“Awww, remember when you two just started dating?”

* * *

 

_“I hope it’s not awkward for you,” remarks Yves. The three of them are standing outside their dorm. Yves is fiddling with the hem of her jacket and sweat is trickling down her temple. The two know that it’s not due to the hot afternoon sun, but because their friend is truly nervous._

_“Now that I’m going out with…”_

_She turns her head to Olivia’s direction, looking fond. Olivia is far from earshot and is patiently waiting for the three to finish. Chuu wonders if Olivia has some sort of radar built in her that reacts only to Yves, because the usually unobservant girl looks up at them and gives Yves a small smile._

_“Of course not,” Go Won exclaims, breaking the moment._

_“I’m so happy for you two.”_

_“It’s just... It’s my first time to be in a romantic relationship, but friendships are so important to me. I love you girls. I don’t want to let any connections in my life to weaken just because I have a new one,” she explains with a frown._

_Chuu is silent for a moment but then hugs Yves._

_“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy too. I hope things turn out well,” she says earnestly, looking up at her._

_“I hope so, too.”_

_“Yves.”_

_The two girls break apart their embrace and look at the raven-haired girl who is now standing near them._

_“Yes, Olivia?”_

_“Do you want to take a walk in the garden?”_

_“Is it a date?” Yves asks playfully._

_“Well, it’ll be the two of us under the sunset walking along the garden while I point out flowers that remind me of you.”_

_“How can you be so blunt yet so sweet?”_

_“Isn’t that how you fell for me?”_

_“Maybe or was it because stoic Olivia Hye was oddly so sweet to me.”_

_“Hey, I’m nice,” she protests._

_“Yes, you are.”_

_“Go Won and I will just be heading to the dorm then,” Chuu interjects, grabbing Go Won’s hand._

_The dark-haired girl looks grateful for the intervention and waves goodbye._

_“Enjoy your date.”_

_No one notices the conflict reflected in Chuu’s wide eyes._

* * *

 

 

Heejin glances at the time on her gold wrist watch.

_12:30 p.m._

Olivia is late, but she isn’t surprised. She would be more surprised if Olivia actually shows up at all.

The door of the cafe tinkles. She doesn’t glance up, idly taking a sip of coffee.

“Heejin,” Olivia starts in a curt voice.

She looks up from her cup to peer at Olivia through rose-tinted glasses. Olivia’s pink features are cold, filled with a quiet fury and simmering annoyance.

“Hyejoo,” she acknowledges, “or have I lost the right to call you that, Olivia?”

The raven-haired girl scoffs but doesn’t correct her. Heejin takes it as a positive sign.

“Take a seat.”

Olivia sits, arms folded and glaring at her across the table.

Heejin resists the urge to sigh instead fixes a cordial smile on her face.

“Do you want anything? A drink? A pastry?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

The thinly veiled annoyance in those words amuses her slightly.

“If you say so, Hyejoo.”

“Just get to the point. What do you want to talk about? Why did you suddenly want to talk? You didn’t even bother keeping in touch when you were off gallivanting in France.   ”

Heejin idly takes a bite of a pink macaron.

“You already know.”

“Just say it. I’m busy. I could have been doing a million things than rendezvous with you here, you know.”

“Didn’t you miss me? What if I just wanted us, two old friends to catch up?”

Olivia doesn’t even respond at that, continuing to glare.

“Very well then.”

Heejin takes off her sunglasses and looks directly at Olivia’s glaring eyes.

“Let Yves go.”

A dark look crosses Olivia’s face. Her hands clench the delicate lacy table cloth.

“No,” she spits out hatefully, uncaring of the stares and whispers directed at her from the other customers.

“I won’t, and you better leave us alone.”

With one last loathing look, she storms away.

The doors slam shut.

Heejin takes the last sip of her coffee.

It was too bitter. She should have added more sugar or cream.

* * *

 

 

_Heejin loves Olivia. She was her best friend since she could remember, and she promised that she would always stay beside Olivia, so they could deal through thick and thin, highs and lows together._

_It hurts, though._

_It hurts Heejin to see Olivia running herself to the ground, that flame in her eyes burning out. It hurt to see her best friend make half-hearted excuses as to why they couldn’t spend time together, to see Olivia steadily distancing herself from her, to see her interacting people with dubious morals._

_She has never felt more helpless in her life than she did seeing her beloved Hyejoo falling._

_Heejin hates it, so one afternoon, she shushes her best friend’s protests and drags to her an empty classroom._

_“Hyejoo,” she starts tentatively then takes a long look at Olivia’s dull eyes, and it strengthens her resolve._

_“We need to talk.”_

_“Why?”_

_“You’re hanging with the wrong crowd. Stop it.”_

_“They’re also my friends,” she replies defensively._

_“No, they’re not.”_

_Heejin says this like a fact because it is. They both knew it._

_“You forget, Hyejoo. We’ve been friends for so long. I can see right through you. What you’re doing will ruin you.”_

_Her eyes soften._

_“Please. I don’t want this to happen. I’m here for you. I just want the best for you.”_

_She notices how Olivia’s hands are clenched into fists to mask their trembling. It’s not from emotion.  She runs her hands through her hair in frustration._

_“Hyejoo, please,” she blurts out because Olivia still hasn’t said anything. She can’t even Olivia’s face with her head down and long strands of hair obscuring her expression._

_Olivia steps closer to her, and for a second, she thinks they’re going to hug, and everything would be fine._

_But then, Olivia is kissing her._

_Her eyes widen, and in her shock, she stills and lets her._

_Heejin is frozen._

_She snaps to her senses quickly then gently pushes the girl away._

_“Hyejoo, no…”_

_Heejin is shaking her head._

_“But why not? You said you’re here for me.”_

_Olivia’s voice is full of bitterness._

_She sounds rejected._

_“Not like this,” her voice cracks._

_“I love you. You’re my best friend. But, I won’t allow you to drag us both down.” She’s looking directly at Olivia’s dark eyes, holding her by the shoulders while internally begging her best friend to see the light._

_“So what, you’re going to cut me off?”_

_Her expression is closed off and despite their proximity, Heejin could feel Olivia withdrawing from her._

_“Stop doing this, Hyejoo. Stop lying to yourself. You don’t want this either.”_

_“How sure are you that you know me, Heejin?”_

_That comment stings, but it takes Heejin aback. She pauses. Doubts start flashing through her mind. How sure is she? She is standing in front of Olivia, the same girl she had known since she was five. They’ve known each other for so long. Olivia has always been her best friend. People would always comment that they were one and the same, that they were just two halves that make each other whole. But right now, Heejin isn’t so sure anymore. Or is she?_

_“I just—I just know you.”_

_“Maybe, not as well as you think.”_

_“Maybe, you’re right,” she acquiesces, defeated._

_They’re at a stalemate._

* * *

 

Yves wonders what is taking Olivia so long.

She lets out a sigh, staring out the window but not admiring the view instead lost in thought.

It isn’t the first time this happened either. These past few months Olivia has been having a lot more business meetings. Consequently, she’s often late to their dates or Yves has to outright cancel them and call it off. It’s strange how meeting up and having dates with her love were starting to feel like a tedious chore or task rather than bonding time. She pushes the pasta she has been eating around her plate idly.

“Is it not to your liking?”

A familiar voice speaks up, and Yves is already smiling.

“Hi, Chuu. No, you have the best cooking. Don’t worry.”

“I’m glad.”

There is something about Chuu’s bright smile that instantly makes her feel better when she sees it. She is pleasantly surprised when the other takes a seat across from her.

“Oh, is it your break?”

“Well, no, but I am the owner, so I can, ah, rearrange my schedule to spend time with a friend who only occasionally comes by.”

“You’re as sweet as ever, Chuu,” Yves says, garnering this twinkle in Chuu’s eyes. Yves can’t seem to point out what it is, but it’s present when they’re together like this. She moves closer until she looks past Chuu’s shoulder, and her face breaks out into a bright smile.

“Olivia!”

“Sorry to have kept you waiting, dear,” Olivia apologizes, pressing a chaste kiss to Yves’ cheeks.

“It’s okay. Chuu was here to keep me company.”

“Is that so? Thank you then, Chuu.”

“No problem.”

Chuu struggles to keep the bright smile on her face and to not frown at the woman who is already sitting beside Yves. She can feel disappointment blooming in her chest.

_Oh, of course. Yves was just waiting for her lover. She didn’t come here just to visit her._

“I love spending time with Yves, after all. You’re lucky to have her. She’s one of a kind.”

The corners of Olivia’s lips twitch, but she is smiling at Chuu.

It looks strained.

“I know. I’m very lucky.”

She presses a kiss to Yves’ right cheek, and Yves reciprocates.

“Since you’re here to keep her company, I’ll go back to work,” Chuu says, already standing up.

“Enjoy, you two.”

Through the kitchen window, she sees the couple leaning towards each other and laughing to themselves in their own little world and decides to immerse herself in work.

_I’m glad they’re happy._

It feels like she is trying to convince herself to believe so. Years have passed, and she's still failing to.

* * *

 

 

_“Why do you do this to yourself?” Go Won blurts out._

_“Huh?” Chuu looks up from the board game she’s playing with Choerry, Kim Lip, Haseul, and Yeojin._

_“I-I wonder about that, too,” Vivi says tentatively._

_“What do you mean?” she asks even if she knew exactly what they meant._

_It’s Friday which means it was bonding time for all of them since it was the weekend. Olivia and Yves are the only ones who are absent in the room._

_She glances at all their faces. Pity, sympathy, sadness. She wishes she couldn’t see those expressions. She wishes they don’t acknowledge it, so she could continue pretending she is okay. Chuu is fine even when while her heart feels like it’s getting more and more fractured each day she can see the love in Yves’ eyes._

_Love that isn’t for her._

_She can’t bear to look at them anymore. It’s just another reminder of what she doesn’t have, what she can’t have._

_Chuu looks down at her game piece._

_A silver apple._

_“I don’t know.”_

_But then Yves smiling face comes to mind._

_It doesn’t matter if her heart feels like it’s getting pierced by arrows and slowly breaking apart until there is nothing left._

_Chuu wishes she could make Yves happy like Olivia does._

_She can’t._

_No matter how hard she tries. No matter how many times she gives Yves apples when she says she’s hungry because she knew how much she likes them. No matter how many pictures she takes that captures Yves’ breathtaking beauty._

_It’s never enough._

_She’s never enough._

_Chuu sees a lot of things. It may seem like her head is perpetually floating in the clouds. An airhead, her friends fondly call her, but she knows she is observant, borne from her natural curiosity towards her surroundings and wanting to familiarize herself more with the behaviors of others._

_She watches at the corner of her eye how Olivia and Yves are giggling quietly together at some inside joke even when the teacher had just reprimanded Yves._

_She sees how enraptured Yves looks when she receives a rose from Olivia. There’s nothing particularly special about it. Roses are easily found in the bushes of the school grounds. The flower is practically a bud. It hardly had enough time to blossom into its beauty, but Yves is looking at it like it’s the most precious thing in the world. Because it was Olivia who gave it to her._

_Their relationship is not perfect. Sometimes, Olivia shouts at Yves, and Yves may have been taller than both Chuu and Olivia, but she would look so small. Chuu hasn’t been sleeping well, and neither has Yves. She would watch as the other girl would sigh and go the bathroom early in the morning when she realizes that Olivia was already out and about when she should be deeply asleep. She notices how Olivia would give lame excuses at random phone calls, and Yves would frown but brush it off anyway._

_It’s not perfect, but they’re still happy. They’re happy with each other._

_Contradicting feelings war in heart._

_She is falling in love with Yves, and Olivia is someone she loves as a friend. They’re happy together, and part of her_ **_is_ ** _happy for them. Why wouldn't she be happy? Yves is not obligated to return the feelings of puppy love her best friend was sporting towards her. It isn’t Yves’ fault that flowers are blooming in the fertile ground of Chuu’s hearts while her own love for Olivia is blooming and flourishing more and more. She knows there’s no chance for Yves to just fall in love with her no matter what she did. She’s accepted this, drilled this fact into her brain. She just wants them to be happy, and they are. So why does her heart feel as if it’s getting chipped into pieces more and more each day?_

* * *

 

 

_“You and Olivia should break up.”_

_“What?” Yves gasps._

_Heejin had stated it like it was a solid fact. It’s as if what she’s saying is reasonable when it was the exact opposite._

_The two are alone inside the classroom, cleaning up after everyone had left. Yves drops the mop and stares at the somber expression on her friend’s face._

_“What are you saying. Heejin?”_

_“You should let her go. What you and Olivia have… it’s not healthy,” Heejin continues, pretending to be undeterred by the way Yves is staring at her._

_Her mouth is set in a frown, and she looks troubled._

_Yves’ anger is sparked, however._

_“Who are you to meddle in our relationship?”_

_Heejin meets her glare dead-on and gives her a serious look._

_“Trust me. I know her better than you do.”_

_Yves lets out a scoff at this._

_“Oh please, we’ve been together since first year. I know Olivia.”_

_The serious look on Heejin’s eyes doesn’t waver._

_“And I’ve been with her before you even met her.”_

* * *

  _“Who does Heejin think she is? God?”_

_Vivi is nodding, letting Yves rant out her frustration._

_“Heejin won’t just say things like that without a solid reason,” Haseul speaks up tentatively._

_Yves immediately glares at her, and Haseul raises her hands up in surrender. “I’m not taking her side. I’m just saying she has a reason behind all of this.”_

_“Do you want to go roller skating? Take your mind off things?” Vivi suggests, grabbing Yves’ hand._

_“I’m up for it,” Yves sighs, “sorry, guys. What Heejin said just really got to me.”_

_“It’s okay.”_

_“Well, then let’s go,” Yeojin perks up, grabbing her bag and already rushing out._

_“Yeojin, wait!” Haseul calls and rushes out of the door. Her green bag is left in the room._

_“I’ll grab unnie’s bag.”_

* * *

_“_ _How do Vivi and Yves do it? I’m exhausted,” exclaims Haseul._

_“Same.”_

_“I’m exhausted, and they’re staying behind to continue.”_

_Their chatter falters and stops abruptly._

_“Wait, is that Olivia?”_

_“It is. Aren’t those people known for dealing drugs at campus?” Hyunjin whispers._

_“You’re right,” Kim Lip remarks, looking pale._

_“Then why is Olivia with them?” Jinsoul asks hushed, brows furrowed in confusion. Realization crosses her face when sees their grim expressions and winces._

_They remain quiet, waiting and breaths held. It could have been forever when Olivia’s companions finally leave._

_“Olivia,” Haseul calls out as soon as they’re out of earshot._

_The black-haired girl startles at that and turns towards them. She freezes when she catches sight of them. She fixes a very forced grin on her face. It doesn’t fool anyone._

_“Unnie...What are you all doing here?”_

_“It’s better if we asked you that.”_

_“I…”_

_Her hesitance only confirms their suspicions._

_“Olivia why?” Go Won asks, looking close to tears._

_“Why do you have to turn to_ **_that_ ** _?”_

_Olivia shakes her head._

_“You don’t understand.”_

_“I think we understand perfectly well.”_

_“Actually, I think we know too much now.”_

_“Olivia, we have to tell Yves…”_

_“NO!”_

_The outburst startles them. Olivia who had been looking down at her feet suddenly faces them, crazed desperation on her features._

_“You can’t. You can’t!”_

_“She deserves to know.”_

_“I know, but…”_

_Tears start to fall out of dark eyes and stream down her pale face._

_“Please, you can’t. Don’t take Yves away from. She is the only one who keeps me grounded. She,” her voice starts cracking._

_“She is the only thing keeping me off the edge.”_

* * *

_The sun has already risen, but it doesn’t help them shed light on what course of action to take._

_Breakfast is a hushed and tense affair. They huddle among themselves on the table, faces grim and voices whispering._

_“We have to tell Yves unnie the truth,” Choerry says firmly. Her back is hunched with resignation._

_“She deserves to know and decide for herself.”_

_“That’s true…”_

_“Why must things be so complicated?”_

_It was a lose-lose situation._

_“Good morning,” Yves calls out to their table. Her hands are twined with Olivia. Chuu and Go Won are trailing behind them slightly, waving and offering their own greetings._

_They turn their heads and give her uneasy smiles._

_“Did something happen?” she asks tentatively._

_No one speaks. Olivia is pointedly not looking at them, only glancing down at her shoes or at Yves._

_“Well, it may not be a good morning for some of us, but there’s good food here,” Go Won states in an awkward attempt to break the tension. It doesn’t dissipate, so she opts to ignore this and take a seat._

_Hyunjin keeps opening her mouth to speak then closing it again, gathering courage to tell Yves._

_But then Olivia pulls up the chair for Yves._

_“Hyejoo, you’re so sweet. I could have done it myself.”_

_“What can I say? I like spoiling you. It’s what you deserve.”_

_Yves giggles, giving her a brief kiss in the cheek. Olivia smiles at the gesture and grabs an apple from the table._

_“Here,” she offers her girlfriend._

_Yves smiles at her mischievously, looking up coyly and takes a bite._

_“They’re so happy together,” Jinsoul whispers to Kim Lip._

_“They are.”_

_“Hyunjin, did you want to say something earlier, by the way?” Yves questions. Half of the apple had been eaten, and it’s still held in Olivia’s hands._

_“Uh nothing, unnie,” Hyunjin rushes out, curling in on herself and fixing her stare on her plate._

_No one wants to ruin their happiness_ , _so they keep silent._

_Olivia and Yves are the first ones to rise from the table, intending to go on a romantic morning stroll. When the couple is out of sight, the whispers start again, and sighs resound._

_“This is all so messed up.”_

_“Everything will fall into place,” Heejin says calmly, speaking for the first time since they had huddled together. She stirs milk into her coffee. A small grin takes its place on her face slowly as she watches how the white milk perfectly mix in with the black coffee, creating a satisfying shade of brown. It’s exactly how she likes it._

_“Just wait."_

* * *

 

_It’s snowing hard one night but a flurry of red and white is seen rushing towards the park. Chuu trudges her way through the heavy snow and huffs, hoping to catch her breath. She had just gotten out of school and ran to the park as soon as she saw the ten missed calls on her phone left by Yves. She knew that in this freezing night, Yves would be in the cafe, drinking her favorite cup of hot chocolate._

_True enough, Yves is sitting by the window but obviously not enjoying herself. She is slouching as she is covering her face with her hands. Chuu’s heart aches at the sight. She enters the cafe and stands in front of the crying girl. She doesn’t even feel the cold anymore._

_“I-I don’t know what to do.”_

_Yves finally removes her hands and looks at Chuu, blinking through the tears. Chuu looks troubled and is thinking of a million ways to wipe away that sad look from her face. But, she’s only human, and she’s not Olivia. If she were, she could have just kissed her tears away. So, she settles for the next best thing._

_She kneels in front of her and takes her hand, and Chuu smiles a little, hoping to give a little comfort. Yves cries harder but Chuu can’t help but think that she still takes her breath away. She wraps her arms around her and doesn’t care for her knees that are now scraping the carpet._

_Yves clutches on harder. Her tears are wetting the fabric of her uniform, but Chuu doesn’t mind. She hugs her friend tightly and hushes her while running her fingers through her hair._

_“It will be okay. Just let it out.”_

* * *

_“Olivia Hye,” Chuu says lightly. The customary smile on her face is absent._

_“Yes, Chuu?”_

_“Can we talk?” she asks, eyes imploring._

_The younger girl looks surprised and confused at the older girl’s behavior but she nods her head slowly._

_“Okay, sure.”_

_Chuu gently yet firmly grabs her by the shoulder, and they end up in an empty bathroom._

_“What do you want to talk about?”_

_“It’s about Yves.”_

_“What about her? Yes, we fought the other day. A typical lovers’ spat. Don’t worry. I’ll talk to her when she approaches me.”_

_Chuu raises an eyebrow at her._

_“When she approaches you. Huh?”_

_“Yes. She overreacted.”_

_“No, she didn’t.”_

_Chuu’s voice is shaking. Her wide eyes stare at Olivia directly._

_“Listen, Olivia. You better woman up and talk to her first. She’s distraught, and I hate seeing her this way. It may seem like a petty thing to you, but she’s really upset. She thinks you two are over.”_

_She takes a deep breath, steeling herself._

_“You’re lucky to have her. She’s one of a kind. Don’t let Yves go.”_

_Olivia is quiet for a moment._

_“Do you like her?”_

_“What?”_

_She didn’t expect that Olivia would ask. Has she been that obvious?_

_Olivia stares at her directly, unflinching._

_“Do you like Yves?_

_Her throat is tight, closed up. Words refuse to come out no matter how hard she tries._

_“I knew it,” Olivia quietly chuckles to herself._

_She’s already turning her back on Chuu and reaching for the knob of the door. She pauses then._

_“Don’t worry, Chuu. I’ll take very good care of Yves.”_

_She looks over her shoulder to spare Chuu one last glance._

_“So, don’t even think of trying to get with her. Her heart already belongs to me.”_

_Chuu hears the unspoken ‘Not you.’_

_Finally, the door slams shut with a sense of finality, and she is left all alone._

* * *

 

 It’s their anniversary today.

Yves is glad she can get off early from work. She wants to surprise Olivia. It’s what she deserves for loving and caring for her so many years. It’s hard to imagine life without Olivia. She’s gotten so used to having her in her life and knows they would be spending more time together.

She clutches the bouquet of red roses to her chest and smiles to herself. When she opens the door, there’s no familiar voice to welcome her back home.

Yves pauses as she stares at Olivia’s black mobile phone sitting innocently on the living room table. Olivia takes her phone with her everywhere except when she is in the shower and getting dressed.

She pads to their shared bedroom and hears water running.

She’s right, of course.

Yves opens the door. She needs to get changed into something nicer. Oh, how she loves dressing up and lavishing in Olivia’s stuttered compliments and starstruck eyes. She knows just the kind of outfit her love would like to see her in.

She opens the door, and suddenly, she’s frozen.

There are piles of paperwork, wads of money, and sachets filled with crystalline white powder.

She is standing in the doorway, staring at the items that shouldn’t be there in their bedroom or anywhere in their apartment.

Was this it? Is this what Olivia had always been hiding from her? Perhaps, she should have suspected it. Olivia leaving in the middle of the night, hushed phone calls, unexplained amounts of money…

Yves is a fool.

She faintly hears the door of the bathroom open. Olivia is wrapped in a fluffy grey bathrobe. She hasn’t noticed her yet.

“Yves, you’re ba—Oh, fuck.”

Hearing Olivia’s voice sparks something in her, and Yves rushes out of the bedroom, out of their apartment. She doesn’t even notice she was still holding the bouquet of flowers.

Olivia is left alone, tears streaming down her face, frozen and staring at the trail of red rose petals on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to talk to me or give prompts on Twitter! joyfulscandal.


	2. before the magic of the night ends, tell me (who you want)

 When Yves had called her, Chuu had been overjoyed. Maybe, she was going to invite her out to go out to the park, or they would just fall into easy conversations on the phone, not knowing they had talked for hours.  
  
She doesn’t expect Yves voice to be hushed, hoarse as if words were scraping their way out of her throat. It was obvious she had been crying when she called.  
  
“Can you meet me at the back of your restaurant? I-I’m sorry to be a bother, It’s a weekday. You’re probably busy.”  
  
“No, no, it’s fine,” Chuu quickly reassures her.  
  
“I’m glad you called. I’m here for you, Yves. Just text me when you get here.”  
  
She stands out in the cold, snowflakes gathering in her red cloak, patiently waiting just as she had always been back in high school. She sees her car and is about to give her a bright smile but then Yves steps out of a car, eyes red-rimmed and arms already open for a hug which Chuu gladly gives.  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
Yves is silent and just buries her face in Chuu’s cloak, finding comfort in her familiar scent. Chuu tentatively hugs her even tighter and Yves cries harder.  
  
Her lungs feel frozen from standing outside, but there is that warmth in her chest.  
  
  
Chuu dials a number.  
  
“Hello?” a familiar voice answers.  
  
“Hello, Vivi unnie. I have a favor to ask. It’s about Yves…”  
  
They talk for a few minutes. Every now and then, she steps out of the kitchen to see Yves sitting by the corner of her restaurant. She is now wrapped in Chuu’s cloak while sipping hot chocolate. Her eyes are still red from all the crying, but she looks relatively better.   
  
“Chuu?”  
  
She snaps out of it and focuses back to the pink-haired girl on the phone.  
  
“Yes, unnie?”  
  
“I’ll be there.”  
  
She’s so glad that she sighs in relief when Vivi agrees to her request. Then again, the pink-haired woman always had a soft spot for Yves.  
  
Chuu takes a long look at Yves again who is now leaning against the wall, her eyelids fluttering then she looks at the garbage can with a bouquet of red roses haphazardly thrown in. She stares down at her phone again before deciding to dial another number.

* * *

  
  
For some reason, standing in front of this wooden door makes Chuu nervous. She realizes that the cause is standing behind the apartment door, and she steels herself to muster up all the courage she has in her body to face her.  
  
“What do you want?”  
  
Chuu looks at Olivia, sympathy blooming. Olivia had always been pale, but her face held a sickly kind of pallor instead of a glow. There were dark shadows under her eyes. Her lips were red, not from rouge but from where the other had bitten them until they were cracked and bleeding.  
  
She looks exhausted.  
  
“It’s about her, isn’t it? It’s always about her.”  
  
Olivia’s dark eyes flit towards the ground; Chuu follows her gazes and sees withered rose petals. They’re red like the ones in the bouquet Yves had carelessly thrown out.   
  
“Yes. It’s about Yves…”  
  
Olivia scoffs lightly at the confirmation of her previous words and opens the door, motioning for Chuu to go in. Chuu follows her, not taking her eyes off the petals scattered on the floor.   
  
“Aren't you ever going to be tired of playing her knight in shining armor?" Olivia asks.  
  
“That's you though,” she responds lifting her gaze, so they are eye-to-eye.  
  
The other shakes her head.   
  
“No, I'm the charming prince who's actually the dragon in disguise. Besides, I’m not her prince. I-I don’t even know if I’m anything to her now.”  
  
Silence looms over them.  
  
“I know I don't deserve her. I know, Chuu. But...I’m selfish,” she trails off, a faraway look in her gaze. “That's the thing about humans right? We are greedy, selfish. We take all the good things and keep them hidden somewhere safe because they are precious to us, thinking that we could always take it out when we need it the most. Then, when we open the chest, there's nothing left. Nothing but rotten pieces of what used to be beautiful. I know I don’t deserve her. I know I hindered her. Yves… she’s beautiful, but she could still be so much more.”  
  
Chuu keeps silent, listening intently.  
  
Tears are starting to fall from Olivia’s eyes. “Is it so bad to just want to keep Yves in my life? To just have one good thing not taken away from me? I need her.”  
  
“You're right about one thing, though,” Chuu says gravely. “You have to take care of her, Olivia. You’ve been hurting her. You make her smile the brightest, you know, yet you also make her cry. You have the power to make her happiest person but also to crush her heart into pieces.”   
  
“Isn’t that how love works?” she asks dully.  
  
“No. Love? Love is cherishing, protecting. Love is putting her needs above yours. What you think it is... it’s just pure manipulation. Stop it.”  
  
She lets the truth of those words sink in for a moment before speaking up again.   
  
“I won't hesitate to step in again, so take care of her, Olivia,” the younger watches as Chuu stands up from her seat. Chuu pauses by the door and turns to Olivia’s direction.  
  
“And take care of yourself too,” she calls out before walking out the door.

* * *

  
  
  
It is late at night, and Olivia finds herself at the apartment rooftop. There is something about looking down on the city below her, wind blowing through her hair that gives her a sense of peace for an ephemeral moment. That quiet moment is soon broken when she hears footsteps behind her. She turns her head to view the one approaching.   
  
It’s Heejin bathed in a soft wash of white light walking towards her. Their eyes meet.   
  
“Hyejoo.”   
  
Even being called that name, sends a pang of grief jolting in her chest. Only two people called her that, and now, she is not even sure if she would be able to hear Yves’ voice again.   
  
“Heejin, you’re here.”   
  
“Well, you did call me. I couldn’t just leave you alone.”   
  
“You’re so sentimental.”   
  
“Especially for you…”   
  
They fall silent for a while, basking in the familiarity of the other’s presence while gazing down the city still thrumming with life despite the late hour.   
  
“Why here?” Heejin asks. “Out of all the places we could meet.”   
  
“It’s nice here. The view of the city is amazing.”   
  
“How many storeys is this building again? And we’re at the very top.”   
  
“Well, I’m not afraid of heights,” Olivia dismisses.   
  
“How about falling?”   
  
“What about falling?”   
  
“Aren’t you afraid of falling?” Heejin asks softly.   
  
Olivia doesn’t respond, brows furrowing.   
  
“You used to be so careful, you know,” she says fondly, tone reminiscent as she gazes at the city lights.   
  
“You used to be so painfully shy. You were usually quiet, but when you talked you were so passionate and bright-eyed about things you loved. That’s what I first liked about you, that spark you have, you know. Then we reached high school, we met so many new people, and you were so guarded as if you were holding your breath. You were so careful about everything. Your reputation, your relationships, even your possessions. Remember when you cried on my shoulder when you broke your favorite cup?”   
  
Heejin sighs.   
  
“Hyejoo, you used to care so much. You would second guess the things you said and question your actions. But then,” her voice saddens. “Something changed. You changed. You became so careless. You who was so wary about what you said or did became unafraid of breaking things. It was hard to watch. My best friend being consumed by that spark inside her. A candle burning itself out…”   
  
A tear makes its trail on Heejin’s pale face.   
  
Olivia stays silent, watching the cars zoom by down in the streets.   
  
She’s right.   
  
“I’m sorry,” Olivia offers as if that phrase could rectify what she’s done.   
  
“Yves left me,” she confides after a beat of silence.   
  
Olivia is so tired. Heejin is right. She’s been burning herself out. A candle left out in the open burning everything near it and being consumed by its own flame.   
  
“She let me go, and I-I just don’t know what to do anymore. I know. I know it’s my fault. I guess, I ruin everything,” she chokes out, stifling a sob. The pain of losing Yves was still so fresh, and it felt like her heart was bleeding anew just mentioning it. It feels cathartic to talk about it. The emotions she had bottled up now spilling out.   
  
Heejin draws her into a hug, and she buries her face on that shoulder.   
  
“Sorry,” she says again even if it can’t fix anything. The tears can’t seem to stop.   
  
“I know I should let her go too. She deserves to be happy.”   
  
“You deserve to be happy too, Hyejoo.”   
  
Olivia just cries.

* * *

  
  
“Hyejoo.”   
  
Olivia closes her eyes for a moment and basks in the sound of her name coming out of her beloved’s lips. She has missed this.   
  
“You’re beautiful.”   
  
Olivia’s lips quirk at the compliment. She hadn’t been able to sleep since the anniversary of their love became the same date Yves had rushed out of their apartment, out of her life. She knows she looks horrible, shadows under her eyes dark and pronounced on her pale face.   
  
"I know the truth. You don't need to lie," she chides with a very soft smile on her face. It was so tender it made Yves ache. It hurt to see that look directed at her now.   
  
"I wish I was,” Yves says softly to herself. She turns her head to gaze out at the window. The sunlight was casting the city in its orange glow, rays on its horizons.   
  
But Olivia hears her.   
  
With that sad smile still playing on Olivia’s lips, she reaches across the table to grab Yves’ hands. Yves looks up, startled. Soft sunlight is streaming through the window and bathing Olivia in its glow, banishing the shadows from her face and making her look ethereal. She is the most beautiful woman ever, and Yves could cry seeing her bright beauty. She could have been the sun herself.   
  
And wasn’t that true? Olivia has been the sun in Yves’ world. For so long, her life had revolved around Olivia. She had been the cause of her joy, her sorrow, her delight, her pain… Olivia had been her sun, and Yves had gotten too close and let herself be consumed by her intensity.   
  
Time seems to still.   
  
They’re both staring at each other, watching emotions and thoughts flit in the other’s eyes. Olivia seems to see something in her that even Yves herself doesn’t know yet.   
  
She watches as a tear drips down Olivia’s face.   
  
"I'm so sorry.”   
  
Olivia barely manages to force the words out. Sobs are tearing out of her chest, making her whole body tremble.   
  
Then the tears burning behind Yves’ eyelids escape too. And she holds Olivia’s hand even tighter, not wanting to let go.

* * *

  
  
There is something different about Olivia. She is lovely. There was a lightness and ease in the way she held herself that Yves hadn’t seen even in the peak of youth. Perhaps, it was because the shadows had almost gone completely, her eyes brighter. It was like seeing the sun after being in the dark.   
  
This Olivia was completely different from the dark and brooding one she had met two years ago.   
  
Two years.   
  
Time passes so quickly. Fragments of memories, fleeting images of the past play out vividly when she closes her minds. Two years ago, Yves could not even imagine life without having Olivia in it.   
  
But, she had changed too.   
  
She felt like someone new. It’s strange. She is still Yves, but living alone, traveling and being independent had changed her and brought out parts of her she hadn’t known herself. Olivia looks happier, more content, and Yves is as well.   
  
“Olivia,” she calls out softly.   
  
Olivia looks up from her phone and gazes at her. She has a soft smile on her face, standing up to draw Yves into a tight hug. They wrap their arms around each other for a moment, relishing in that comforting familiarity they still have.   
  
Olivia playfully twirls Yves when they part the embrace, making the other laugh.   
  
“You look beautiful as ever,” she compliments, sincerity in her voice. “It’s hard to believe I haven’t seen you in two years. How was Hong Kong?”   
  
Yves smiles at this.   
  
“Hong Kong was lovely and you,” Yves grins, “you look better, too.”   
  
Pink tinges Olivia’s cheeks.   
  
“Yeah. Well, rehab has been good to me,” she states without a hint of shame. “Heejin helps me a lot too. I have an amazing support system.”   
  
“That’s great. It’s what you deserve.”   
  
“Thanks. So, ah, have you been seeing anyone while you were away?”   
  
Yves just laughs.   
  
She does not regret the time she had spent with Olivia either, though. For a long time, they had been happy. Yves thought they had been perfect, yet she doesn’t regret leaving. She could see clearly it had done them a world of good. Those feelings of love and attachment no longer fill her heart instead all she feels towards Olivia is a sense of fondness and familiarity.   
  
“Right,” Olivia chuckles lightly, “you still have a one-track mind. Well, if you would date anyone, you deserve her, and she deserves you. You deserve to have someone to make you happy.”   
  
Olivia looks up at her earnestly.   
  
She bites her lip and takes a sip of orange juice on the table. The image of a bright smile and wide eyes flash in her mind’s eye. But she looks at the girl seated in front of her.   
  
“Tell me everything.”

* * *

  
  
“I’m home!” Olivia says in the silence of the apartment.   
  
“How was lunch?” a voice calls out from the living room.   
  
She pads towards the direction of it and flops on the loveseat.   
  
“It was great. Yves looks better. She’s glowing with… I can’t explain,” she trails off.   
  
“Freedom from a manipulative ex,” Heejin quips.   
  
Olivia rolls her eyes and throws a pillow. Heejin easily catches it.   
  
“Rude.”   
  
“Yeah but it’s true.”   
  
Olivia is quiet for a moment before answering.   
  
“I'm just happy she's happy.”   
  
“And you?” Heejin asks seriously, mischief in her eyes replaced by concern.   
  
“Are you happy?”   
  
“I'm just happy with myself, and that I have someone else to go home to now. I’m not alone.”   
  
There’s a grateful smile on her face.   
  
“Thanks for being my best friend, Heejin.”   
  
Heejin returns the smile.   
  
“Anytime, loser.”   


* * *

  
  
  
“Thanks for having us, Chuu,” Kim exclaims before munching on another piece of pork belly.   
  
“Yes, the food is amazing,” Hyunjin compliments.   
  
“You cooked all the food, right?”   
  
Chuu nods.   
  
“Nothing but the best for you guys. You’re always welcome here.”   
  
“Chuu unnie is the sweetest!” exclaims Yeojin.   
  
Chuu smiles sweetly, wide eyes peeking under curled bangs.   
  
“Well, it does help that you’re all paying,” she jokes.   
  
“What? I think I forgot my wallet,” Jinsoul panics, hurriedly emptying out the contents of her purse on her lap.   
  
“It’s probably in your pocket, unnie,” Choerry reminds, not even looking up from her meal.   
  
“Oh, thanks, Yerim!”   
  
Chuu finds herself smiling. The comfortable atmosphere, the easy banter. She had missed it. She’s glad the high school reunion had reconnected them. It was comforting.   
  
“Oh, have you heard? Yves is back from her stay in Hong Kong…”   
  
And just like that, the smile on her face fades away.   
  
Her eyes flit to the end of the table. Vivi was the one who said the news. Chuu stares down at her lap. The good mood dissipated, replaced by disappointed? Sadness?   
  
Did I expect that Yves would tell me? We haven’t even talked since the break-up with Olivia.   
  
It had been hard to not be selfish, to let Yves leave for another country, away from her again. But, that would be hypocritical of her if she had begged the woman she loved to stay when the places familiar to both of them would remind her of happy memories and her own broken heart. She had even asked Olivia to let Yves go, and Chuu had done the same.   
  
She could only hope that the time away had done Yves a world of good.   
  
It’s what she deserves, after all.   
  
Chuu notices that the chatters had quieted, and the atmosphere had dropped. They were looking at her with something akin to pity.   
  
“What’s wrong? Did I undercook something?”   
  
The joke, and the smile on her face feel strained, forced out.   
  
“Chuu…” Gowon trails off.   
  
Of course, everyone knew she was still hung over her love for Yves. She hadn’t been subtle about it since high school and even now.   
  
“It’s fine. She needed a lot of time for herself after breaking up with Olivia. I even suggested it to her, you know.”   
  
Choerry, like the angel she is, breaks the awkward silence after that statement.   
  
“Ohh, it’s getting late. How is everyone going home?”   
  
The chatter rises to normal volume again. Chuu wants to sigh with relief.   
  
“It’s almost closing time. Pack up everyone.”

* * *

  
  
They had left with the promises to contact each other and visit her restaurant again. Chuu greets her workers as they leave one by one. She looks around her small restaurant and sighs in contentment. It has been a good night.   
  
It would have even been better if Yves had come.   
  
Chuu lets out a sigh, eyes downcast.   
  
She misses her.   
  
Two years had passed, but her feelings remain the same. It could have been yesterday when she fell for Yves with the emotions she still harboured towards her.   
  
She wonders how she’s doing. In that span of two years, has she been healing? Has she been enjoying herself, exploring places and forging new memories? Chuu thinks about how wistful Yves’ smile had been when she talked about wanting to go to another country and just have something new in her life. Had it been the right choice to contact Vivi that day and let her get in touch with Yves so she could move to Hong Kong safely? That decision is still a heavy weight on her chest.   
  
It’s frustrating how she doesn’t know anything. She had tried to contact Yves, but she had changed numbers. Her texts had remained unsent. Even her social media accounts had been either deleted or inactive. It hurts not knowing what was going on in the life of someone you had been so close with.   
  
Chuu has a lot of questions.   
  
And the most important one— is Yves happy? That’s all she could want for the woman she still loved. Had she enjoyed meeting all the new people there? Maybe, she had even found someone new in her life to replace the emptiness from leaving Olivia. Chuu’s heart clenches just thinking about it.   
  
I just want Yves to be happy even if I’m not in her life...   
  
Chuu is mindlessly clearing up the dishes that littered the table when the bell of the door tinkles. She doesn’t bother looking up.   
  
“Sorry, we’re closed for the night.”   
  
“I’m sorry… am I too late?”   
  
She’s all too familiar with that sweet voice. It triggers that pang her in chest.  Everything about her is suddenly frozen except for her rapidly beating heart. She carefully looks towards the direction of the speaker.   
  
Yves is right in front of her, beautiful and right there.   
  
“Yves.”   
  
She doesn’t know how she manages to not drop the plates and place them on a corner of the table while ushering Yves to sit.   
  
She takes the seat across Yves, and oh god she’s staring at Chuu with that lovely small smile that had made Chuu grow a crush on her back in high school. Her heart is not ready for this.   
  
Chuu clears her throat to get rid of the tension.   
  
“How have you been, ah, since…?” her question trails off in the air.   
  
“Since what? Breaking up with Olivia and suddenly leaving the country?”   
  
Chuu nods, taken aback by her blunt statement and not really knowing how to respond. Yves purses her lips, and Chuu’s eyes are busy darting around the small area, looking at anywhere except the woman in front of her. It’s like there’s a drum beating inside her chest.   
  
Yves grabs her hand. She’s startled at the action and leans over. She stares up at Yves with wide eyes. Emotions were swirling around in those dark eyes. Sadness, regret and something else Chuu could not decipher.   
  
Yves smiles sadly.   
  
“I-I needed time. I spent so much time trying to clear my head and just process what happened. It was hard, living alone and trying not to break down. It was painful being alone when I was so used to having someone by my side and who I could depend on. I cried a lot. I honestly still do.”   
  
Chuu forgets about the awkwardness she feels at the moment and places her hand atop Yves’. A sad Yves has always been her weakness. Yves stares at their joined hands and smiles genuinely.   
  
Chuu is glad she could make the other smile with such a simple gesture. She never wants to see that sad smile on Yves’ face ever again.   
  
“When I did, I would always pick up my phone, and there was only one name I would think of. Only one person who I wanted to talk to but never did.”   
  
Chuu’s heart clenches for a completely different reason than earlier.   
  
“Who? Olivia?”   
  
Yves shakes her head and slowly entwines their fingers together. Chuu is surprised at how natural it feels as if they had been doing this all their lives. She unconsciously holds her breath at the bold action. Her heart is pounding, so hopeful yet so afraid.   
  
“Yours, Chuu,” Yves stares straight into her eyes and ah, Chuu finally realizes the emotion lingering there. She probably is mirroring the same emotion through her own.   
  
“It’s always been you.”   
  
Time seems to still, and her breath catches in her throat.   
  
Yves smiles at her sadly this time, eyes downcast.   
  
“I’m sorry for not keeping in contact with you, Chuu.”   
  
“What-I,” she stutters, not daring to hope what her heart thought that meant.   
  
“You’ve always been there for me. You’ve always been my shoulder to cry on. You’ve always been by my side. I thought what I had with Olivia was love, but I did a lot of thinking while I was away, and I realized maybe too late that I’ve experienced love so much more with you than I ever did with her.”   
  
Yves stands up and due to their entwined fingers, Chuu follows. They are standing so close to each other. So close she could smell Yves’ scent, could almost feel her warm breath washing on her face. It’s dizzying, but oddly, it calms her pounding heart.   
  
“I'm sorry for not noticing all this time. I'm sorry I hurt you again and again without even realizing. You’ve given me so much. I know I don’t deserve it—” Yves takes one brave step closer to her, the grip on her hand tightens.   
  
“But if you would let me, I will love you more than you love me. I know I'm how many years late, but I will start now. I won't stop loving you, Chuu.”   
  
Yves’ voice cracks.   
  
“Please give me a chance.”   
  
Chuu’s tear-filled eyes stares back at Yves’ watery ones.   
  
  
_Olivia’s eyes had been bright with unshed tears, a beaming smile on her face._  
  
_“Chuu, I’m so happy! Olivia confessed. She likes me. We’re together now!”_  
  
_Those words echo in Chuu’s mind and leave behind an empty feeling in her chest._  
  
_Chuu couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning. She’s on her side and facing Yves where she was sleeping on the bed beside her own. That would likely change soon, however. She dreads the inevitable when she would have to switch beds with Olivia, so the two lovers could be closer to each to other. The room resounds with soft snores and breathing. She is the only one left awake. She hopes that it turns out to be an unfounded fear, that sleeping arrangements would remain the same. It’s selfish, but she doesn’t want to be left bereft of Yves’ comforting presence near her at times like this when her mind was racing miles._  
  
_“Yves, I still love you. You don’t have to love me back. I promise I’ll protect you no matter what. And as long as you’re happy, I’ll try to be happy, too,” Chuu whispers her vow in the quiet of the room._  
  
_Yves doesn’t stir. There’s a smile on her face, though. She must be having sweet dreams. Chuu is glad. She rolls on the bed, facing the wall this time and doesn’t sleep even when the sun’s rays peek through the gap in the curtains._

  
  
The tears don’t stop. They leave trails on Chuu’s face, and her nose must be red. She must look ridiculous. She always had been an ugly crier. Yves is crying too. It’s so unfair how she still looks so beautiful with tears streaming down her face and her features scrunched up.   
  
“Yves,” Chuu starts.   
  
Yves is nervous. Chuu can feel it since she was always been attuned to her feelings. There is a palpable tension in the air as they stare at each other directly.   
  
“No. You would be never be too late. Eight years, two weeks. It makes no difference. We can always start now. I don't care about time as long as I have you."   
  
Chuu thinks of high school. She thinks of when she first laid her eyes on Yves. She thinks of all the times she had seen Yves look at Olivia and she thinks of the times she laid in her bed at night, wishing she had been on the receiving end of Yves’ affection. She has seen Yves cry herself to sleep. She has seen Yves dance in excitement over big or trivial matters. She has seen Yves burning with anger, protecting one of their friends. She has seen Yves looking stunning in her white gown, with her hair and face made up so beautifully. She has seen Yves in nothing but ratty, old shirts and baggy shorts when she had just woken up. She has seen Yves in every aspect, but she still can only think of one word to describe her especially now that she knows she has Yves’ heart in her hands, just like how Yves always had hers.   
  
Breathtaking.   
  
A tear falls down Yves’ cheek. Snippets of memories flash through her mind’s eye. She remembers all the times Chuu had always been selfless and caring to her. Olivia had been her sun, bright, intense. But for someone like Yves, perhaps she needs the moon. Someone calm and serene. Someone patient. Someone willing to stay.  Someone whose light could still shine in the dark and guide her. Someone who is consistent, and someone reliable.   
  
Someone like Chuu.   
  
Yves closes in. Her warm breath is washing over Chuu’s face. Their foreheads are pressed together. If one of them closed the space a little more, they would be kissing.   
  
Then Yves smiles. It’s that smile that made Chuu first fall in love back when they were in just high school, and it’s making her fall in love all over again.   
  
“Then let’s end with forever.”   
  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Does anyone want to see a ChuuLiVes ot3 spinoff of this fic?


End file.
